Report
Hodge's special double-hundred sets it up
A magnificent double-hundred from Brad Hodge put Australia in an impregnable position in the first Test at Perth, amassing a huge 490-run lead and giving themselves ample time to wrap up the game
The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan
19-Dec-2005
South Africa 296 and 2 for 85 trail Australia 258 and 8 for 528 dec (Hodge 203*, Hussey 58, Ponting 53) by 406 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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A magnificent double-hundred from Brad Hodge, dotted with cracking strokeplay that lit up the WACA, put Australia in an impregnable position in the first Test at Perth, amassing a huge 490-run lead and giving themselves ample time to wrap up the game. A battered South Africa stuttered to 2 for 85 when play was called off owing to bad light.
Surviving four full sessions against Shane Warne and Co. was always going to be an uphill task and South Africa lost both their openers before stumps. Warne snapped up AB de Villiers with a drifting legbreak that popped up after nicking pad and bat, while Nathan Bracken trapped Graeme Smith in front with a swinging delivery. Warne troubled the batsmen with his variations - Herschelle Gibbs was saved in bizarre circumstances when two top-edges nestled in his helmet grille - and could have easily had them in more trouble with a bit more luck.
Full postKreusch's all-round effort crushes Cobras
On a below-par pitch at Boland Park, the Cape Cobras were soundly beaten by four wickets by the Warriors
Cricinfo staff
18-Dec-2005
Warriors 176 for 6 43.5 overs (Kreusch 58, Peterson 47) beat Cape Cobras 172 for 9 45 overs (Strydom 63, Henderson 3-23, Kreusch 2-18) by 4 wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
On a below-par pitch at Boland Park, the Cape Cobras were beaten
by four wickets by the Warriors. Without any wins in seven Standard Bank
Cup matches, one more loss will put them out of the running for a
semi-final spot. The Warriors, with this win are right back in the
picture for one of the final four spots.
The Cobras were sent into bat, but they struggled to come to grips
with a pitch that produced awkward bounce. Thanks to 63 from
super-sub Gerhard Strydom and a partnership of 71 with Thami Tsolekile
(28) they recovered from 44 for 5 to reach 172 for 9 in their 45 overs.
Tyron Henderson was the major wicket-taker with 3 for 23, but it was
Justin Kreusch who had put the brakes on the scoring with nine
consecutive accurate overs of 2 for 18.
Kreusch, who won the Man-of-the-Match award, scored an invaluable 58 opening the
innings and once he and Robin Peterson (47) had taken the score to 127
for 2 the Warriors could almost afford to coast home, scoring the 176
needed with six wickets down and seven balls to spare. Monde Zondeki
picked up three late wickets for a return of 3 for 43.
Full postMurali and Malinga jolt India
An hour of play was lost due to overnight dew, but India began confidently when play began, making 51 for the loss of Gautam Gambhir's wicket
Amit Varma
18-Dec-2005
Tea India 125 for 5 (Laxman 36*, Dhoni 12*) v Sri
Lanka
How they were out
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Sri Lanka fought magnificently after a bad start to the day to restrict India to 125 for 5 at tea on the first day of the Ahmedabad Test. First, they were hobbled by illness, as Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara
Fernando and Avishka Gunawardene all had to opt out of the game. Then, they lost the toss, and Virender Sehwag chose to bat. India reached 51 for 1 in a one-hour pre-lunch session shortened by overnight dew. But then, led by Lasith Malinga and further spurred by Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka pulled India back.
The first session held little indication of the drama to come. Malinga, his steady run-up a contrast to the slingshotty flamboyance of his action, was wayward, and kept straying down the leg side.
Maharoof was steady, moved the ball both ways off the seam, and mixed it up well. But the batsmen - Gautam Gambhir had been preferred to Wasim Jaffer - negotiated him comfortably, the only exception being when Sehwag got a thin inside-edge of an incoming ball, which fell
short of the wicketkeeper, Kumar Sangakkara.
Full postJadhav hundred highlights captivating day
A summary of the second day in the latest round of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group
Cricinfo staff
18-Dec-2005
Maharashtra 307 for 9 (Jadhav 100, Bahutule 77) lead Tamil Nadu 275 (Sharath 75, Munaf Patel 4-77) by 32 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Dheeraj Jadhav, tipped by many to be a potential India opener, sparkled on the second day's play against Tamil Nadu at Nasik with a battling hundred, but the tourists held their own to grab nine wickets before stumps with Maharashtra just 32 runs ahead. Tamil Nadu did well to trigger a manic middle-order collapse following Jadhav's dismissal, but Sairaj Bahutule stroked his way to a vital 77. Maharashtra's day began well thanks to a fiery three-wicket burst from Munaf Patel, the opening bowler, as Tamil Nadu, 254 for 7 overnight, were bowled out for 275. Sreedharan Sharath, Tamil Nadu's veteran, was the highest scorer with 75.
Railways 49 for 1 trail Mumbai 367 (Muzumdar 123, Powar 74, Kartik 5-95) by 318 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Murali Kartik, the left-arm spinner currently on domestic duty, did his chances for a national recall no harm with a five-wicket haul to dismiss Mumbai for 367 on the second day's play at the Wankhede Stadium, but Railways faced an uphill task after losing the vital wicket of Sanjay Bangar, their captain, before stumps. Ramesh Powar, Mumbai's allrounder, proved a thorn in Railways side with a 221-ball 74 after Amol Muzumdar fell in the morning session with his 20th first-class hundred. Greg Chappell, India's coach, had stated yesterday that there was little point in keeping Kartik in the squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka when he was not in the final XI, and his decision to give the spinner a chance to ply his trade in the Ranji Trophy was spot-on.
Full postJaques ton brushes aside Redbacks
A masterful innings from Phil Jaques provided the platform for New South Wales' comprehensive victory against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval
Cricinfo staff
18-Dec-2005
New South Wales 4 for 282 (Jaques 158*, Thornely 76*) beat South Australia 209 (Clark 4-36, Clarke 3-27) by 73 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
A masterful innings from Phil Jaques provided the platform for New South Wales' comprehensive victory against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
Batting first, the Blues' run-rate was kept in check for much of their innings, thanks to tight bowling from the Redbacks. Jason Gillespie and Paul Rofe were controlled and limited the run-scoring opportunities under overcast skies until Mark Cleary's introduction brought more adventurous strokeplay.
Corey Richards paid the price for a second, overly ambitious attempt at driving Cleary but Jaques found good support in Dominic Thornely (76). The pair put on an unbroken stand of 171 for the fifth wicket, including 114 in the last ten overs. Jaques crashed 11 fours and four sixes in his unbeaten 158 - his second knock exceeding 150 in the competition this season - as New South Wales reached a competitive 4 for 282 from their 50 overs.
Full postDavid Hussey coasts Victoria to seven-wicket win
David Hussey and Cameron White struck half-centuries in quick time to shut out Tasmania and as Victoria coasted to a comfortable seven-wicket win at Launceston
Cricinfo staff
18-Dec-2005
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Victoria 3 for 248 (Hussey 94*, White 73*) beat Tasmania 8 for 246 by seven wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
David Hussey and Cameron White struck half-centuries in quick time to shut out Tasmania as Victoria eased to victory at Launceston. Chasing 247, Hussey and White put on an unbeaten 162-run stand for the fourth wicket and finished the match with 3.2 overs to spare.
Jon Moss and Michael Klinger (41) got Victoria off to a fine start with an opening stand worth 63 runs. Darren McNees dismissed Moss for 28 and followed up with the wicket of Lloyd Mash in the 21st over and when Klinger was bowled with the score on 86, Victoria had lost three wickets for 23 runs and had two new batsmen at the crease.
Full postKasprowicz strikes with six to give Bulls a chance
Michael Kasprowicz drove into Western Australia with six wickets and Ashley Noffke chipped in late to give Queensland a chance of first-innings points
Cricinfo staff
18-Dec-2005
Western Australia 8 for 293 (North 79, Martyn 71, Heron 54, Kasprowicz 6-87) trail Queensland 308 (Stevens 105, Perren 59, Dorey 7-86) by 15 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
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Michael Kasprowicz, the stand-in captain, drove into Western Australia with six wickets and Ashley Noffke chipped in late to give Queensland a chance of first-innings points after the second day in Brisbane. The Warriors were travelling comfortably at 3 for 258 following half-centuries to Clinton Heron, Marcus North and Damien Martyn, but Kasprowicz and Noffke reduced them to 8 for 293 at stumps and they need another 16 to pass the Bulls' total.
Kasprowicz picked up his 400th domestic first-class wicket during a convincing display that included a spell of 3 for 4 in 12 deliveries as Martyn, who made a comfortable 71 before playing on, Marsh and Voges were dismissed to release Western Australia's strong position. The visitors were still on track for a first-innings advantage until Noffke, a last-minute inclusion for the sick Mitchell Johnson, struck twice when he beat Ryan Campbell (16) for pace with a short ball and collected Beau Casson for 5 to set up an intriguing third morning.
Full postSandeep Singh devastates Saurashtra
A summary of the first day in the latest round of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group
Cricinfo staff
18-Dec-2005
Powered by Sandeep Singh's eight-wicket haul Vidarbha, who chose to field, bowled out Saurashtra for 244 before reaching 22 for 0 to gain the upper hand by the end of the opening day at Rajkot. Singh, the right-arm medium pacer, had three of his victims clean bowled as he ripped apart Saurashtra in nearly 25 overs. Shitanshu Kotak fought his way to 74 and was the last man out to lift Saurashtra to a fighting total.
Aslam Khan grabbed a five-wicket haul to bundle out Jammu & Kashmir for 182 and Rajasthan reached 20 for 1 by close to dominate the opening day's play at Jhalwar. Sajjad, the opener, had lifted J&K to a comfortable 69 for 1 when Aslam combined with Sanjay Gill (3 for 26) to trigger a collapse.
Full postLaxman leads Indian fightback
Test cricket reveals character, and the first day of the Ahmedabad Test had ample displays of it. First, Sri Lanka shrugged off an indifferent start to reduce India to 97 for 5 - this, after their first-choice new-ball bowlers had opted out of the game du
The Bulletin by Amit Varma
18-Dec-2005
India 247 for 6 (Laxman 71*, Pathan 39*) v Sri Lanka
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
How they were out
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Test cricket reveals character, and the first day of the Ahmedabad Test had ample displays of it. First, Sri Lanka shrugged off an indifferent start to reduce India to 97 for 5 - this, after their
first-choice new-ball bowlers had opted out of the game due to illness. But despite some sharp and committed bowling, India clambered back, led to respectability, at 247 for 6, by VVS Laxman's 71 not out, and his partnerships of 86 with MS Dhoni and an unbroken 64 with Irfan
Pathan. It was a gripping day of cricket.
It began with a notification of absence. Rahul Dravid had backed out earlier due to gastroenteritis - Sehwag captained in his place, as Kaif came into the XI - and Sri Lanka found themselves without Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando and Avishka Gunawardene. After Sehwag won the toss and opted to bat, Sri Lanka's bowling did, initially, appear inadequate.
Full postMisbah double-hundred propels Sui Northern Gas
A summary of the second day from the latest round of the Patron's Trophy
18-Dec-2005
Misbah-ul-Haq compiled a splendid double-hundred but Sufyan Munir fell in the nervous nineties as Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) amassed a first-innings score of 498 for 8 against Pakistan Customs on day two of their second round Patron's Trophy Cricket Championship match at Karachi.
Misbah maintained his fine run on the domestic circuit with his 21st first-class century - and third double-hundred - which is now his highest. Batting for just over nine hours, he faced 397 balls and hit 12 fours and six sixes. Misbah was particularly severe on Murtaza Hussain's offbreaks, launching him for for three sixes, and Stephen John, the fast bowler, who was twice struck out of the ground. Murtaza, who had five wickets in his last match against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), finished with none for 105 in 37 overs.
Playing in his 99th first-class match, Misbah was first associated in a 166-run partnership in 288 minutes for the third wicket with Munir before putting on a further 165 runs for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Salman, the wicketkeeper, to build a big total for his team.
Munir was unlucky to miss what would have been his career's eighth hundred when he was bowled by Imran Ali's medium pace for 91. Sufyan clubbed 13 boundaries in his 91 off 250 balls while occupying the crease for almost five and a half hours. Misbah too fell just before the close, offering a return catch to Afsar Nawaz, the part-time offspinner, trying to pull him over midwicket.
Full post